1 officer dead, 6 others shot in South Carolina

Associated Press

FLORENCE, S.C.

Seven South Carolina law-enforcement officers were shot Wednesday, one fatally, in a confrontation with a man who held children hostage as he fired on the officers, officials said.

The suspect was taken into custody and the children weren’t hurt after a two-hour standoff in an upscale neighborhood just outside of Florence, not far from areas that were devastated by flooding from Hurricane Florence, authorities said.

The man shot three Florence County deputies from inside a home as they came to serve a warrant about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Florence County Sheriff’s Maj. Mike Nunn said.

The suspect then shot four Florence city police officers, one fatally, as officers from all around the area swarmed in to help, Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler said.

A bullet-proof vehicle had to be used to rescue the wounded officers as the man held children hostage inside for two hours, Nunn said.

City of Florence spokesman John Wukela identified the fallen officer to The Associated Press as Terrence Carraway of Darlington. Carraway, 52, had just celebrated 30 years as a police officer in the city, Wukela said.

Both Heidler and Florence County Sheriff Kenney Boone had tears in their eyes as they spoke to reporters about two hours after the standoff ended.